Ulysse humbert bamuz



i v r l l l 1 of the mechanism so as to avoid'all serious objections. v p 7 v I will first describe what I-consider the best means of carrying out my invention, and will afterwards desig removed.-

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ULYSSE nunnnn'rninuz or GHAUX DE FON sSWITZERLAND; ASSIGNOR TO HENRY mesa AND SELIGMAN OPBENHEIMER.

Letters s... No. 77,213, dated 14 216128, 1868.

din Szlntnlc want its-i1! their Esttsrsfinimt-mt mating part at the time TO ALL WHOM ITjMAY CONCERN=- I Be it known that I, ULYSSE HUMBERT RAMUz, of Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland, have invented certain new and-useful Improvements in Watches; and I do-hcreby declare that the 'following is a full and exact descri tion thereof. 7 I I I My invention relates to the'meansoi winding the watch audof setting the hands.

v Several means have been before proposed, and some of them havebee'n patented, whereby these ends have been eii'ected without the'neeessity'for opening the watch,- but all have been open to' objections which have prevented theirgeueral introduction. My invention is intended to accomplish these ends by a novel arrangement nate the points which I believe to be new therein. The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification Figure 1 is a face view of the watcliopen, and with the button adjusted for-setting the hands. Figure 2 shows the same closed, and adjusted for running, as ordinarily. Figure 3 shows the peculiarities on alargerscale. The face of the watch is in this drawing supposed to be Figure 4 is a. side elevation, showing a part of the mechanism 'for winding. Figure 5 shows a rear view of the works.

Figures 6, 7, and &are views of a spring employed. A is the case of the watch; A is the cover, it being a hunting or completely metal-cased watch, and a is the hinge onwhic h the cover turns; An arm, :2, extends down from the hinge a, and, being fixed on the cover A, moves with it around the centre, a, at each movement of the cover. When the watch is consulted to ascertain the time, the opening of the cover carries the arm a forward towardsthe centre of the watch. When, after the time has heenascertained, the watch is again closed, the closing carries the arm ain the opposite direction, and leaves it in its original position. v

- B is a piece, hinged at one end to the arm a. Its other end is'conneoted by a universal joint, 0, to the large lever D, which turns on the centre, 11,- and is kept in its proper plane by the guard A. As the watch is opened or closed, the lever D swings between'the limits and E is a curved rack or ratchet, having teeth inclined, as indicated on an enlarged scale in fig. 3. An arm, E, extends therefrom, as indicated, and receives the force of the springf, which is mounted on the lever D, as indicated. The rack E and arm E form a single piece, which is hinged to the endof the lever D by the pivot e, and which is pressed by the force of the springf into contact. with the inclined teeth of the wheel G, which connects with the works of the watch. When the cover of the watch is opened, the lever D moves from the point towards the point F, and the teeth of the rack E slip over the correspondingly-inclined teeth of the wheel G, producing a slight series of clicking sounds. When the watch is closed again, the lcverD moves back to In performing this latter movement, the teeth of the rack E gear into the teeth of the wheel G, and compel it to turn. The turning of this wheel winds the watch. The ordinary provision. not represented, is made to prevent injury from over-winding.

This mechanism provides a great surface and a great number of teeth, over whichthe wear due to the slipping of one set upon the other is distributed, and with ordinary usage the novel mechanism will be likely to endure for an indefinite period.

If you open and shut the case twice, it will keep the watch going for forty-eight hours. After the main spring is fullywound up, the opening and shutting of the case will have no further eiiect, and you can open the watch as often as you please, without straining or breaking the main-spring, or afi'ecting the working of the movements.

I will now describe the means ofsetting the hands. H is a niilled bottom, adapted to be conveniently grasped by the thumb and-finger to receive force therefrom in being turned. It is mounted on a shaft, h, which is allowed to slide endwise in the hole in the case A in which it is supported. It isgently urged outward by a spring. It may, at any time be easily pressed inward, so as to be evenwith the erl'terior of the case, and be confined there by covering it by the slide I, which is capable of being traversed a little distance along the edge of the case A. When this button is thus held, as it is while the watch-is being carried and used, it, is ofno efi'ect. But.when it is allowed to project by moving the slide, and allowing the spring to throw it out, it may be used toadjust the hands, the hands turning in either direction, according as the button H is turned.

The mechanism is as follows: I is a crown-wheel, so mounted on. the extended shaft b that it may slide endwise thereon, but is compelled to turn therewith by means of a feather, or other means not represented. K .is a lever, pivoted at 7c, which stands in a'groove around the neck of this crown-wheel J, so as to control its position, and to compel it to'slideendwise on the shaft 7:, according as the lever K is' turned. L is another lever, pivoted at l, and connected at the free end to the lever K, as represented, with a little freedom at the joint to slide one upon the other, to allow for difi'erence in the motions around their respective centres. When the button H is pressed inward, it carries with it the lever L, and thus turns the lever K, so as to draw the crown-wheel J out of gear with the wheel M, whichis connected with: the handset the watch; but when the buttonis allowed to project from the watch in the position to be turned, the same system of levers moves the crown-wheel J into gear with the wheel, and holds in gear, so that the turning of the button H and crown-wheel J turns the hands. 1 I I v i It results, from this arrangement, that the hands are free while the watch is in its ordinary condition, and yet are set with facility when the slide I is witlidrawn, and that all the operations are'ett'ected by mechanism, whiehis independent of the works of the watch, simple, strong, and reliable, and ixi which the wear is so distributed, and all thefunctions: are so performed, thatit may endure aslong as any other part of the-watch.

I can use my improved mechanism for winding without of necessityalso' using: or introducing in the same watch my improved means'of setting the hands, but I prefer touse both together, as represented.

' Having now fully described my inventi omwhatlli claim as new, and desire to'secnre by LettcrsPatent, is

as follows 1 v i e 1. I claim the ra ck or ratchet operated by th lever D, an'd'connected to the cover A, and to the works of the watch, substantially as and for the purposesh ereiu set forth;

21 I claim, in combination with means substantially as herein specified for winding the watch by the motion of the hinge, the independent button H, shaft It, and crown-wheel J, arranged and connected with'each other, and with the hands, and with means for holding the button within the case when not required, Substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth. i g

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my name, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' U. HUMBERT RAMUZ. Witnesses:

J. Fnmrmaraa, ALFRED JEANNEMY.

Santana. 

